A hero ambulanceman who was first at the scene at the Grenfell Tower tragedy has escaped a driving ban and the loss of his career after he was caught speeding in Wales.

David Hickling, 46, admitted driving at 116mph on a motorway but a court this evening took an exceptional course and decided not to ban him.

Bronze - Commander - Ambulance - Service - Charge

Hickling had been the bronze commander for the ambulance service, and in charge of the emergency response and first on the scene at the Grenfell Tower disaster. He had also been involved in the Westminster Bridge attack.

His barrister Phil Williams told a court this afternoon that if he was banned from driving, then his client, who had received The Queen's Award for long service and good conduct, would lose his job.

Hickling - Father - 'a - Messy - Divorce

Hickling, a father of one said to be going through 'a messy divorce', admitted breaking the 70mph speed limit but told Flintshire Magistrates' Court at Mold that a driving ban would mean the end of his career of 22 years.

The defendant, who already had six penalty points, received a further six points but magistrates accepted that to ban him would cause exceptional hardship.

Hickling - Oakwood - Close - South - Benfleet

Hickling, of Oakwood Close in South Benfleet, Essex, was off duty and driving to a terrorist related training course when he was clocked on the A55 near Caerwys in Flintshire, Wales, in July, three weeks after the tower inferno when he took part in the search and recovery of bodies with his colleagues.

He was suspended from the London Ambulance Service where he worked as the hazardous response team emergency manager after he was caught speeding.

Grenfell - Tower - Fire - Work - Bodies

Hickling attended Grenfell Tower while the fire was raging and was involved in the difficult and demanding work of searching and recovering bodies, the court heard.